Underwater hydrogen storage

Abstract

Provided are systems, methods and techniques by which a wind-powered energy generating platform, secured to an anchor, can pull (or winch) itself beneath the surface of the water and thereby avoid most of the significant effects of storms and waves. In more particularized aspects, a variable-buoyancy anchor is utilized, thereby facilitating the construction and transportation of the entire assembly.

1. A method of storing and transporting hydrogen, comprising:
 submerging a barge, which includes a storage tank, under a surface of a body of water; 
 generating hydrogen and storing the hydrogen into the storage tank in the barge while the barge is submerged; 
 disconnecting the barge from a hydrogen-generation system; 
 re-floating the barge and then towing the barge to a location where the stored hydrogen is utilized; 
 connecting a replacement barge to the hydrogen-generation system; and 
 submerging the replacement barge for underwater storage of hydrogen, 
 wherein the barge further comprises at least one of ballast tanks and open-bottomed structural cells which provide the barge with variable buoyancy. 
 
     
     
       2. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the barge includes a plurality of storage tanks for storing hydrogen. 
     
     
       3. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the barge is re-floated in response to a sensor detection that the storage tank is nearly full. 
     
     
       4. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the barge is re-floated upon arrival of the replacement barge. 
     
     
       5. A method according to  claim 4 , wherein the replacement barge is deployed in response to a radio transmission requesting the replacement barge. 
     
     
       6. A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the radio transmission is made in response to a sensor detection. 
     
     
       7. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the barge includes a plurality of open-bottomed structural cells for submerging and re-floating the barge. 
     
     
       8. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the barge is buoyant in operation and is attached to an anchor. 
     
     
       9. A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the anchor has variable buoyancy, permitting it to be re-floated when desired. 
     
     
       10. A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the barge has been molded from concrete. 
     
     
       11. A method of storing and transporting hydrogen, comprising:
 submerging a barge, which includes a storage tank, under a surface of a body of water; 
 generating hydrogen and storing the hydrogen into the storage tank in the barge while the barge is submerged; and 
 re-floating the barge in response to a sensor detection that the storage tank is nearly full and then towing the barge to a location where the stored hydrogen is utilized, 
 wherein the barge further comprises at least one of ballast tanks and open-bottomed structural cells which provide the barge with variable buoyancy. 
 
     
     
       12. A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the barge includes a plurality of storage tanks for storing hydrogen. 
     
     
       13. A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the barge includes a plurality of open-bottomed structural cells for submerging and re-floating the barge. 
     
     
       14. A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the barge is buoyant in operation and is attached to an anchor. 
     
     
       15. A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the anchor has variable buoyancy, permitting it to be re-floated when desired. 
     
     
       16. A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the barge has been molded from concrete. 
     
     
       17. A method of storing and transporting hydrogen, comprising:
 submerging a barge, which includes a storage tank, under a surface of a body of water; 
 generating hydrogen and storing the hydrogen into the storage tank in the barge while the barge is submerged; 
 disconnecting the barge from a hydrogen-generation system; 
 re-floating the barge and then towing the barge to a location where the stored hydrogen is utilized; 
 connecting a replacement barge to the hydrogen-generation system; and 
 submerging the replacement barge for underwater storage of hydrogen, 
 wherein the barge is buoyant in operation and is attached to an anchor. 
 
     
     
       18. A method according to  claim 17 , wherein the barge has been molded from concrete. 
     
     
       19. A method of storing and transporting hydrogen, comprising:
 submerging a barge, which includes a storage tank, under a surface of a body of water; 
 generating hydrogen and storing the hydrogen into the storage tank in the barge while the barge is submerged; and 
 re-floating the barge in response to a sensor detection that the storage tank is nearly full and then towing the barge to a location where the stored hydrogen is utilized, 
 wherein the barge is buoyant in operation and is attached to an anchor. 
 
     
     
       20. A method according to  claim 19 , wherein the barge has been molded from concrete.